There are plenty of mediums available for businesses to market their products or services-but bulk SMS is one that may not immediately spring to mind.
The idea behind the concept is that customers give businesses their phone numbers so that they can receive exciting and exclusive offers directly to their mobile.
These offers can be sent quickly and easily using SMS marketing software at a reasonably low cost to the advertiser. Many businesses have found that they achieve a significant return on investment when purchasing this software.
How to get subscribers
Businesses have to ensure they obtain permission to contact customers in this way. Sending unsolicited text messages can be really annoying for customers and damaging to the sender’s reputation. Companies can even be fined for sending spam messages.
The best way to encourage customers to subscribe to an SMS marketing scheme is to make it clear what’s in it for them. Some businesses offer customers an immediate reward for signing up, others make it clear what sort of money-saving deals customers will receive when they do. Either way, it’s important to advertise this opportunity to customers and explain why it will benefit them to sign up.
Most businesses will allow customers to subscribe via a sign-up box online or by entering details into a form in store.
SMS marketing strategy
Once you’ve got a fair amount of phone numbers to blast messages to, it’s time to get these customers spending money at your business again.
The best way to do so is give them incentives. They don’t have to be huge either. Restaurants often let their SMS subscribers have a free dessert when they buy a three-course meal. Retailers might offer a 10 per cent discount on a certain product.
Tried and tested marketing techniques such as placing time-limits on offers, using and short sharp language and including riveting calls to action all work wonders on this medium too.
ROI
Customers shouldn’t need to pay to sign up for an SMS marketing scheme. The idea is that the offers will keep your businesses at the forefront of their minds and ultimately make them spend money which they wouldn’t have done had the incentives not been presented.
‘Orange Wednesdays’ is a prime example of a really successful SMS marketing scheme. It has been estimated that three million extra cinema tickets a year are bought because of this promotion. Wednesday used to be the least popular day to go to the cinema. Now it’s the most popular. Businesses who utilise SMS marketing well could do the same to their own unpopular products.
SMS marketing is commonly used by restaurants, retailers and events organisers-but it could potentially be utilised by any sort of business.
The key is to give customers a great reason to subscribe and then present this opportunity in a clear, compelling way. When done well, it can be one of the most cost-effective marketing platforms available. Why not browse some of the SMS marketing solutions available online today?
Author Bio:
Richard Parker is an eminent columnist with a publication. He is a telecom engineer and a broadband specialist. Writing news based articles based on mobile marketing for online journals are one of his favorites. Currently he is busy playing with his newly bought iPhone 5.
